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PhantomRec v1.8

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@MaxRBLX1 MaxRBLX1 released this 28 Jun 18:16
v1.8
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PhantomRec v1.8

"Every screen deserves to be recorded."

Built by MaxRBLX1

A Note on Windows 7

PhantomRec runs on Windows 7 and delivers 60 FPS GDI capture. However, if you experience stutter or frame drops on Windows 7, this is a limitation of the operating system itself — not PhantomRec.

Windows 7 lacks the GPU-accelerated capture APIs (D3D11 Desktop Duplication, DirectDraw) that make Windows 8+ recording truly smooth. GDI capture on Windows 7 is software-based and competes with your desktop for CPU time.

The fix is free: Upgrade to Windows 8.1, 10, or 11 on the same hardware. You don't need a new PC — just a newer OS. Your existing CPU, RAM, and GPU will immediately benefit from hardware-accelerated capture.

Windows Version Capture Method Smoothness
Windows 7 GDI (Software) Good — limited by OS
Windows 8/8.1 DDAGrab (GPU) Excellent
Windows 10/11 GFX Capture (GPU) Perfect

PhantomRec works on everything. Your OS determines how smooth it is.

What's New in v1.8

Branding — RetroRec → PhantomRec

The project has been renamed from RetroRec to PhantomRec to better reflect its modern capabilities and universal appeal. All recordings and settings from previous versions are fully compatible.

GDI Recording — Smooth at 60 FPS

The GDI capture pipeline has been completely redesigned for smooth performance on older Windows versions:

  • 60 FPS capture (up from 55 FPS)
  • Removed mpdecimate — no more stutter from frame dropping
  • Software format conversion (format=bgra,format=yuv420p) matches DDAGrab's pipeline
  • ultrafast preset keeps the encoder from blocking capture frames

DDAGrab — 60 FPS with Ultrafast

Windows 8/8.1 users get improved DDAGrab capture:

  • 60 FPS forced via ddagrab=0:framerate=60
  • ultrafast preset for smoother real-time encoding
  • Same hwdownload filter for GPU-to-CPU color conversion

Power Plan — High Performance Auto-Switch

PhantomRec now automatically switches to the High Performance power plan when recording starts, and restores your original power plan when recording stops. This ensures the CPU maintains consistent clock speeds during encoding, preventing frame drops on laptops and balanced power configurations.

Smart Conversion

Post-recording conversion (Stage 2: mpeg4 → x264) now only runs if the recording is longer than 1 second. Quick test recordings skip the conversion step, saving time.

GFX Capture — Unchanged

Windows 10/11 users continue to get GPU zero-copy D3D11 capture at 60 FPS with the veryfast preset — the GPU handles the heavy lifting.

System Requirements

Component Minimum
Operating System Windows 7 SP1 / Server 2008 R2 or later
CPU Any dual-core x86_64 processor (SSE2)
RAM 4 GB
GPU Any. Integrated. None. All work.
Storage Any HDD or SSD

No dedicated GPU or GPU hardware encoding required.

Capture Methods

Windows Version Method FPS Preset
Windows 10 / 11 GFX Capture (D3D11) 60 veryfast
Windows 8 / 8.1 DDAGrab (DirectDraw) 60 ultrafast
Windows 7 / Vista GDI Capture (Software) 60 ultrafast

The Ghost Pipeline

  1. Stage 1 — Live Capture: Lightweight mpeg4 encode (~5% CPU), 1 thread, VFR, no GPU encoding
  2. Stage 2 — Post-Convert: x264 re-encode using all CPU cores when system is idle

Quick Start

  1. Download PhantomRec_v1.8.zip and extract all files to a folder
  2. Make sure maxsengine.exe is in the same folder as PhantomRec.exe
  3. Double-click PhantomRec.exe
  4. Press F10 to start recording
  5. Press F10 again to stop
  6. Wait for post-processing — your video opens automatically

Configuration

All settings are stored in PhantomRec.ini. You can edit it while PhantomRec is running — changes take effect within 2 seconds.

[Settings]
Hotkey=F10
PauseHotkey=P
ConvertAfterRecording=yes
ConvertPreset=veryfast
Assets 3
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